The Nara Stone
by AscendedAbyss
Summary: In the lull following Ganondorf's defeat, the repercussions of an ancient war, mighty deities, and Link's own past force the Hero of Twilight into an adventure that could very well mean his own demise. Post-Twilight Princess.
1. Prologue

**AN: For some reason, my second chapter wouldn't show up so I had to repost my entire story. Said the bloody thing was there, but it wasn't. Huh. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy my story. It's my first piece of fanfiction so it isn't quite up to par with what I wanted. Give me some feedback, if you will, so I can find out the flaws in my writing and strive to fix them. Oh and yes, before you ask, I did stray a bit from Canon. Instead of Link placing the sword back in the Pedestal of Time, he kept it and brought it back with him to Ordon.**

Disclaimer: This will be my first and my last as I find disclaimers in general neither prudent nor necessary. I do not own any part of the Zelda franchise. This is a work of fanfiction and I am using -and hopefully not abusing- the characters owned by Nintendo.

**_The Nara Stone_**

Prologue

The hardest part about returning to regular life was the boredom. After all of the struggle, hardship, and trials he had faced, the calm serenity of the farm somehow felt unwelcome despite his own vehement wishes for the very thing not a few months before.

Link sighed, patting down his dirty breeches in an attempt to remove the evidence of the day's labor. The inevitable conclusion was a spree of words best left out of polite conversation as the young man turned back towards his work.

A soft breeze blew through his unruly blond hair, dust kicking up into his face as he hacked and coughed. Stomping back over to one of the bright blue cattle, its single horn -if you could call it such- converging into a large circle that stood almost a foot above its head, Link began to once again stroke its fur. "Oh boy," he grumbled softly, "another day primping and herding sheep. Joyous me." A snort sounded behind him. He turned towards the seemingly affronted animal, a beautiful, chestnut Draft Horse giving him what could most definitely be interpreted as a glare. Well, if a horse could honestly glare at you.

"Oh, come on Epona. You know I don't include you in that list. You are the only thing that makes this job fun." Link could almost see her chest puffing out proudly, just rolling his eyes in response. Even so, he once again turned from the sheep, instead running his brush through his horse's mane. "We've been through a lot together," he whispered softly into her ear, "haven't we, girl?" She just nickered and rubbed the side of her head against his own, both of them looking up towards the fading sun.

Cantering down into the village, Link and Epona looked around as everyone began to prepare for dinner. Though it wasn't a glorious thing, meals in Ordon Village were always something to be treasured. Everyone gathered around the fire, children laughing and playing, the adults bringing out whatever food was available. Some nights it was all bread, some nights it was all meat, and it just depended on the season. Summer time, as it was, the crops were not ready to be harvested so most of their diet came from cattle, be it the dairy they produced or the chops you produced from them. Link didn't mind. The food was warm, tasted great, and there was much to go around. It was very different from his travels through Hyrule during the Twilight War.

He was pulled from his thoughts as Epona suddenly bent her head, Link's eyes snapping over to the source of the mare's curiosity. In that moment, a bright smile touched his face. Ilia. The young woman's brown hair fell long down her back, brushing along the curve of her bust over one shoulder. Link still marveled at the slow swelling of her stomach, her long off-white dress accentuating this fact as he jumped off the horse with practiced ease and knelt down to press a soft kiss to what would soon be his child. Pulling himself up, he grasped his wife in his arms, leading her into a soft kiss that she melted right into. "Good afternoon, love." She whispered softly, "How was your day?" He just smiled as his eyes roamed over the others standing near him. Talo stood gagging not too far away, the near-teenager having stuffed too large of a piece of goat cheese into his mouth after swiping it.

"Boring," he replied honestly, her eyes suddenly sharp and searching as she stared into his own, "but I'm feeling much better now that I'm with you." She cradled herself against him, her lips slowly pressing along his jaw line as she whispered,

"You still miss her, don't you?" He didn't know what to say to that so only remained silent and hugged her tighter. Of course he missed her. They had been through everything together.

_'Midna...'_

Not two hours later, supper was finally at hand. Bo, the village elder and Ilia's father, let out a massive bellow and everyone came running as usual. Link sat to his left and Ilia on his other side, her fingers intertwined with his own atop the table. Women from all around brought wooden platters full of cheeses, steaks, and chops, the children cheering and the adults bowing their heads, already prepared to pray.

"Tonight," Bo began, "I would like to begin this meal with a few words in thanks to the Three Goddesses who allow for this wonderful bounty." This was a usual occurrence, but after all that had happened even the kids were especially solemn as he began his prayer to The Three: Din, Nayru, and Farore. Din, with her strong flaming arms, cultivated the land to create the earth. Nayru poured her wisdom onto the earth to give the spirit of law to the world. Farore's rich soul created all the life forms who would uphold the law. (1)

"Amen!" chorused the villagers a minute later, each jumping for a piece of whatever food they wished. Link reached out and pulled back a large steak, cutting it in half and handing the bigger piece to Ilia.

"You need to keep up your health for the baby, love." She smiled at his explanation, leaning over for a soft kiss. The villagers around them sent a spree of cheers, holding up their glasses of mead or water to the pair who just blushed and sat back down into their seats. It was a beautiful night all around.

The not-so-calm meal was finally nearing its end, all of the elder males meeting together with a half-pint mug of their choice drink to talk about the goings on of the village. The children danced around the fire, Link spying -to his delight- Colin and Beth sneaking off towards his house hand-in-hand. He decided to go sit with the elders, the gaggle of females talking to his wife slowly giving him a headache. Though he did not drink, having seen its effects on many a citizen of both Hyrule Castle Town and Ordon Village, he grabbed a pint anyways and filled it up from the barrel of ale to his left.

He did not reach his spot, though, the loud trample of horses' hooves on hard soil spearing his head up towards the direction of the noise. Four horsemen, each in the chain armor of the Hyrule Knights with the crest of the Royal House: an eagle spreading its wings bearing a Triforce on its chest.

The one in the lead stepped down off his horse, pulling of his helmet and bowing low to the ground. "My Lord," he began, standing back up straight and staring into the eyes of the now solemn Link as he reached into the saddle bag on his horse's side, "Her Highness is in dire need of assistance. By order of the Council of Ancients, you have been called to her aid." Link stepped forward, placing his forgotten mug on the table. He took the scroll the man pulled from the bag, opening it and quickly reading through its contents. The people of the village were silent, having never seen this side of Link before. He just nodded to the man, softly stating,

"Give me a moment to prepare." With just a glance back at Ilia, he made his way over towards Epona, the intelligent mare whinnying sadly as he hopped onto her back and galloped out of town. His home sat above the ground, a simple home for a simple youth that was stripped away from his childhood to become the Hero of Twilight. He had renovated it, adding another room and some stairs so that his pregnant wife could more easily come and go. Hopping up the steps, he just stood at the entrance, looking around at the little knickknacks and comforts that he would once again be leaving.

It didn't take him long to dress, first pulling on a pair of light brown breeches and a simple white, long-sleeved tunic. Over that came his chainmail, a powerful linked metal shirt that had saved his life on many occasions. The legendary green, open-necked tunic was worn atop this, with his long, green cap to keep the hair out of his eyes. He pulled on his gloves and bracers, both brown, and his long, knee-length brown boots. His tunic was tied off with a simple leather belt that held a pouch for supplies.

Finally dressed, he stood up and clenched his fists, feeling almost awkward in the familiar outfit. Something was missing. He shook his head at his own foolishness as he stared over at the wall across from him. With an ever-present ethereal glow around it, there sat his sword. It was crafted by an ancient sage and gifted to the world as a way to fight evil. The Sword of Evil's Bane: The Master Sword. Reverently grabbing the ancient blade, he strapped it to himself with a thick harness that went from waste to shoulder. Over this hung his shield, bearing a more intricate seal of the Royal Family than that of the Knights, both in easy reach in case of an attack.

Heading out a moment later, he began to attach his other weapons to Epona's sides. His Gale Boomerang, which he had received after defeating the possessed Ook in the Forest Temple so long ago; the trusty Hero's Bow, which he had acquired after beating some sense into the thick head of the Goron Guardian, Dangoro; the two Clawshots, one found during his quest to save the Zora people and the other acquired much later after his slaying of the mighty dragon, Argorok. He chuckled to himself, _'Many wouldn't believe half of the stories I have to tell.'_ When he was finally finished packing all his supplies, he jumped up onto Epona's back and made his way back down into the village.

Everyone stood there, Bo and Ilia at the front talking heatedly with the Hylian Knights. Both knew the duty he had towards the people of Hyrule, yet neither wanted to see him off. After all, one was the grandfather of his soon-to-be-born son and the other was the child's mother. This thought truly hit Link right in the stomach: he would not be able to see his child come into the world. Would it be a boy? A girl? Would he be away for so long that the child would have no inkling of who he was? Shaking thoughts that would better be left untouched from his head, he hopped from his place atop his steed and walked over to the group. Once again the Knights bowed, Link bowing back before stepping past them and embracing his wife. She kissed him with enough passion to nearly crumble him right there, her beautiful eyes wet and bloodshot from crying. He just placed his forehead against hers and said,

"You know I'll be back as soon as I can." She nodded, as if it was a question, and he kissed her one last time before turning away and stating firmly, "Let's go." Minutes later, as the group finally left the confines of Ordon Village, it was almost pitifully ironic how much he wished for the boring trials of farm life once again.


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: Wow, I actually managed to get up a second chapter tonight. I always complain when authors take forever to get up new chapters, but damn does it take a long time to write these things! Anyways, hope you enjoy the next chapter.**

Chapter 1

_A beautiful, teal skinned woman stood atop a set of translucent steps, the ever present sun shining down on her fiery red mane of hair. Her smile, soft and a touch sad, was for only one person. He stood there, only feet away, yet as the intricate designs on the mirror before her began to shatter and crack, she felt as if they were worlds apart. They soon would be._

_She could not look away from the blond haired man whom she had been through so much with. She wanted to tell him everything, to confess everything, but could say nothing. She just hoped he could see it in her eyes. A bright light washed over her, the warmth of magic spreading slowly up her body, yet she did not close her eyes. She kept them on the man before her as long as possible._

_'Link…."_

_He could do nothing except stand there at the side of her Hyrulian counterpart, watching as she slowly disappeared into the void behind her. As the last particles moved into the portal, it suddenly snapped closed and the mirror at his side shinned so bright that he had to look away, but could not in time to keep himself from watching as it tore itself asunder into thousands, no millions, of fragments._

_"Midna…"_

Link's eyes shot open, a gasp leaving his throat as he sat up from his cot. These same dreams had plagued him for months on end, ever since that fateful day in the Arbiter's Grounds. Ilia helped to ease him away from the memories, but he was no longer with her so it seemed the dreams felt like returning once again.

Sitting up, Link grasped his sword and made his way over towards the group of Hyrulian Knights that sat around a small fire. They sat on the outskirts of Hyrule Field, beneath a cusp of trees just outside the Faron Province. It was still another day's travel to Hyrule Castle and the Knights were not at liberty to discuss the details of their mission. Still, from their quiet discussions together he had heard the words Gerudo and invasion. The first word was only familiar from stories of the ancient thieves, the second a word that boded well for neither Link nor Hyrule.

"We should probably continue before sunrise," he stated, surprising the Knights who jumped, one falling from the log he sat on with a rather embarrassing yelp, "Kargaroks and roaming Moblins do not care if we travel in sunlight or moonlight, they will be present either way. I would rather reach the queen as soon as possible." The lead Knight, Batos, grumbled beneath his breath but complied with a short nod and a hushed command to his three fellows.

The quintet was soon making their way towards Castle Town, the tall grass of Hyrule Field putting them on their guard for hidden predators.

"So, if you four cannot tell me about my mission, what can I know?" They all looked rather guilty at this, but after catching each other in the eyes seemed to shake it off. Link cursed, having hoped that a little bit of guilt would give him some knowledge about his new quest, but still listened intently as Batos replied,

"Well, My Lord, Hyrule Village is prospering greatly from the efforts of both yourself and Malo's Mart." Link smiled as he thought of little Malo, a six year old boy who had taken over much of the shopping economy in Castle Town and Kakariko Village, yet did it just for the benefit of the villages unlike other, more greed business men. "Just yesterday my wife and I…" He was cut off from his words as a winged beast suddenly flew from the sky, surprising everyone as it roared towards the Knight's head. He ducked, just barely missing the deadly talons of the infamous Kargarok.

In a flash, Link was jumping off his saddle and onto the back of the beast, his mighty sword in hand. Bringing it up above his head, he stabbed down through the beast's body, a spatter of blood raining down on the knights below. He rode the monster to the ground, jumping off into a roll at the last moment. Standing up and cleaning the blade off on the Kargarok's hide, Link sheathed the Master Sword before turning back to the four shocked Knights of Hyrule, each with their hands inches from their blades. He just smiled, whistling to Epona who galloped over.

The Knights seemed to respect him much more than they did before, bowing their heads to him whenever he looked their way. Link just sighed, his anxiety apparent as he pushed himself ahead of the quartet, looking towards Castle Town in longing. The quicker he got there, the quicker he could get back to Ilia and his unborn child.

It was as the sun was highest in the sky that Link and the band of Knights made their way into Castle Town, many people recognizing the wayward hero and soon a horde of cheering townsfolk followed the slowly proceeding horsemen. The Hero of Twilight just smiled as best he could, finally breaking away from the mob when they reached the castle gates. Epona trotted forward, sensing her master's distress, and soon the horse and rider were far in front of the four Knights of Hyrule. Jumping off after tying Epona up in the stables, Link quickly made his way around the ground and up the castle steps, court officials jumping out of his way as the tall, blond haired man strode past them.

Before the throne room doors stood a pair of guards, each bearing the familiar hauberk with the royal crest and a long, deadly pike. Though they were put their especially for their serious and intimidating demeanors, the duo became much like babbling gossips in the face of a modern legend and hero. Link briskly nodded to the pair, who each dropped to a knee as quickly as possible. The green clothed man stood there for a few moments before coughing, "Umm, I can't quite walk through a closed door." If you could see a blush through a helm, it was the blushes that the two guards had, each jumping up with yelps of apology and opening the doors to the throne room for him.

The hall went quiet as he walked in, though he did not know if it was customary for court nobility to do so when the door opened or if it was specifically after seeing him. The blaze of chatter that erupted moments later left no doubt in his head, yet he barely noticed at that point, his eyes and body locked on something completely different.

Zelda Hyrule, Queen of the Kingdom of Hyrule, stood before him in all of her stately glory. Her golden hair fell down to her mid-back, two locks braided and hanging along both sides of her bust. She wore an intricate gown of the softest silk, with a light violet corset atop it. Golden pauldrons connected to a brooch on her breast, a bright red ruby sparkling in the center of the ceremonial armor. Along her head she carried her tiara, the diadem bearing what he swore to be the largest sapphire on the face of Hyrule.

"Link!" The woman rushed towards, stopping right in front of him as if undecided about something. Finally, she held out her hand and he took it, bowing low and bringing it to his lips in a kiss.

"My Queen, I came as fast as I possibly could once I heard news of your need for me." He said all this as he stood back up, smiling at her softly, "Could we take this discussion to a more private location so I might hear about this in more detail?" She nodded, quickly walking over to one of her advisors and starting a hushed conversation with him. He nodded in the end, turning to go do whatever task she asked of him.

Link noted all of the eyes on him, one set in the corner particularly capturing his attention. The bright red hair was the first thing her noticed, followed by the beautiful curves of a feminine body. Whoever this woman was, she was quite gorgeous, but the look in her golden eyes unnerved him. Also, as he walked past her, he noticed two things especially prevalent about her features: the long, slanted nose that adorned her face and the bright, cerulean jewel at the center of her brow.

"I will be as plain as I can with you, Link," Zelda stated as she reclined back in a chair, the Hero of Twilight standing before her, "we are in grave danger from an outside attack." He nodded, having overheard as much, and she continued, "The Gerudos of the desert are an ancient tribe of female thief warriors, each as deadly as any Knight of Hyrule. The Ganondorf you and I faced was descended from this tribe, having even been its King for a short period before he tried to take over Hyrule." This got Link's attention more than anything else, his fists clenching in remembrance of the evil man's deeds. "As you well know, after his failed attempt which was stopped by the Hero of Time, the Ancient Sages tried to execute him, but in the end could only banish him to the Twilight Realm at the cost of one of their own lives.

"Now, the Gerudo have a new King by the name of Norobu who seems ready to try and continue his predecessor's plans." She sighed, standing up and beginning to pace. "Luckily for us, he doesn't have the force to follow through with his threats … but even so my dreams have been dark as of late and I truly believe that the plot goes much deeper than just Norobu." She stepped slowly towards him, wrapping her arms around the surprised man and pressing her forehead against his own, "Please, Link ... do what you do best." She whispered to him, her lips only an inch from his own, "Keep my people safe." Just as her soft lips met his own, a light knock on the door pulled her back, her eyes suddenly wide as she quickly turned from him. He shook his own head, wondering what had come over him. Why had he allowed her to do that? Why had she done it in the first place?

"My lord," a gruff voice stated before him, pulling Link from his thoughts. A tall, broad shouldered man of middle age stood before him, a broadsword on his back and a helm at his side. Link bowed as the man did the same, recognizing the man immediately. It was the Captain of the Citadel Guard, Falix. A man born from nobility, he quickly rose in the ranks, leading what remained of the Castle Guard against Zant during the Twilight Wars. Link wasn't exactly sure how much of that was fact, never having seen any sort of Castle Guard in the first place, much less seeing them actually doing anything. 

Even so, he was a nice enough fellow with a strong arm and a rough demeanor. Link liked that in a soldier.

"Falix, it is good to see you again." The man almost smiled at his recognition, but Link seriously doubted that man had ever smiled in his life so that was probably a full blown, ear-eating grin to most people. "Her Highness told me of the Gerudo and I'll be of any assistance that I can." The male nodded, turning around the look at the queen who was staring at the ground, her hand at her lips and a faraway look in her eyes. He shook his head at that and said in a lower voice,

"Queen Zelda has not been herself of late. Her thoughts are to the clouds, so to speak, and I cannot help but fear what would happen if I was to lead a battalion of troops from the castle to deal with the Gerudo menace. I do not want the guile of her advisors leading her down the wrong path at a time like this.

"Due to this, I am hoping to promote you from your honorary title of Lord of the Citadel to High General of the Armies of Hyrule." Link did not know what to say to that, just remaining quiet and trying to keep his jaw off the ground. "I, personally, cannot give you this promotion as the job is higher than my own. Hell, your title is already higher than my own. You will have complete command over both my Citadel Guards and the Hyrulian Knights as well as the ability to call up an army for war, something only Queen Zelda or Sir Altar can do at this point." Both men looked abashed at his mention of High Knight Altar. Like Falix was head of the Citadel Guards, he was head of the Knights of Hyrule. Though a good Knight with a strong arm, the man was pompous and arrogant, showing this to Link in just the short month he had been at the castle before his journey back to Ordon.

"Even without his consent," Falix continued, "we already have enough support to grant you this title. This means no more long, green hats." Link blushed, glaring at the man who just chuckled and beckoned Link to follow him. "At your leave, my Queen?" Zelda just nodded, barely responsive as Falix walked past. Link stopped next to her, reaching out for her with his hand. She jumped back though, as if scalded, and Link, hurt from her actions, quickly bowed himself from the room.

Less than a week later, Link stood in front of a large troop of horsemen, his customary green outfit having long since disappeared, along with the chainmail underneath. In its stead, he wore a long, silver hauberk, the crest of the royal family adorned on his chest. His head was now bear, a sharp contrast for him against his trusted cap, but it wasn't so hard to get used to. He had not worn his armor for months in Ordon Village, after all.

"Men," He called out as loudly as he could, walking back and forth before the battalion of almost three hundred men and horses, "You are here today to fulfill your duty as Knights of Hyrule and to your Queen! Gerudo forces have invaded to the west and it is our sworn duty to battle these foreign warriors back to our dying breath!" Every man there let out a cheer, emboldened by the presence of the Hero of Twilight. "As we speak they are pillaging our lands, killing our women and children, without even the slightest thought! They envy us, envy our way of life! Do not let them take it from us!" Another, this time near deafening, roar sounded, Link jumping atop Epona, who was finally given some armor of her own.

His troops followed him, their High General, out of the castle barracks and slowly traveled the streets amidst the solemn crowd that stood surrounded them on both sides. Flowers fell before them, Link laughing softly as Epona picked one up and chewed on it as they walked. Some reunions were much more solemn though, families crying as their son or father went out to war. As they reached the open planes of Hyrule Field, Link wondered if, back at home in Ordon, Ilia was doing the same.


	3. Chapter 2

_**A/N: Glad that some people have actually taken a look at this story. I'm not one to read before it reaches at least twenty thousand words, but maybe their are some people out there who can stomach it. Anyways, enjoy and, once again, review if you find any spelling errors or just wish to leave me some advice. Thanks. AscendedAbyss**_

_Chapter 2_

Sharp steel met soft hide, a cry of pain echoing in the darkness before … silence. Leaves crunched beneath the soles of shoes as the corpse was hauled from the ground and dragged unceremoniously out of the brush towards more open land.

"A good kill, Maluk." It was the first sentence spoken in almost an hour, a small troop of four men finally hauling back their kill after a long hunt. The aforementioned man strung up his bow, plucking his arrow from the hide of the buck his two companions were carrying back to camp, and bowed to the blond haired man of legend.

"Thank you, General, but is this not the sixth kill of the day? Who can be given credit for the other five elk currently being prepared for tonight's dinner?" Link just smiled at the young man of maybe seventeen years, patting him on the shoulder and walking ahead to scout for any other prey.

It had been almost a month since they had left from Hyrule Castle, the slow-moving war party forced to take the long way around in fear of the Gerudo having a chance to prepare for a counter-offensive. With almost one hundred archers on horseback and another two hundred infantry men armed with sword or spear, Link had little worries. His only problem was the scarce supply of food as they reached closer and closer to the desert for soon there would be no more forest for his scouts to hunt in and they would be relying on the rations given to them by the still rebuilding Hyrule. Not a very good situation, all in all, but Link had survived far worse on his own.

The hustle and bustle of the camp life created a rather lively atmosphere for all who resided within it. Men who were not cooking the food made merry on mead and ales, singing together before the campfires of the glorious battle soon to come and their quick return to their families' sides.

"I wish Kargarok chops were edible," one of the men carrying the heavy buck grumbled, "they are easy enough to find out here!" This resulted in a burst of laughter from those around him, one of the more aggravating drunkards even going so far as to pour his mead on the already annoyed soldier. The lush ended up with a sore jaw and the guard standing next to him ended up with a sore foot as the deer's hove dropped down onto it. The resulting brawl was one for the ages: almost thirty men of varying ages jumping around, waving fists, throwing punches, and rolling around on the ground.

Link was right in the middle, one of the original drunkard's friends even throwing a punch at him! Ducking below the fist, Link sighed, jabbing his elbow into the man's stomach. He dropped like a sack, the Hero of Twilight stepping over him and reaching into the pouch at his hip. Grabbing the large sphere, he activated it and threw it down into the center of the pile. Closing his eyes, the massive flash of light he saw from behind his eyelids and the eruption of multiple screams told him that the Deku Nut had, indeed, worked.

Stalking through the pile of incapacitated men, Link grabbed up the original two culprits and dragged them over to the elk still lying forgotten on the ground. "Take it to the butcher, now. Congratulations, you just volunteered yourself for the night watch." Seeing them just standing there, he gave them both a good slap upside the head and roared, "Get a move on!" Both of them men jumped at this, hurrying away as fast as their feet could take them. Turning around, Link found the other men involved all standing up straight, though no one would meet his eyes. He slapped a hand over his face when he spotted two of the men still holding empty mugs in their hands, probably their weapon of choice in this supposed Battle Royale. "While your two lady friends get night watch, I've got something better planned for the rest of you." Link grinned maliciously.

Three hours later, each of them men were just starting to finish up with their work. It was never a fun task eviscerating and skinning your kill, but it was even less fun having the job of cleaning up the waste. Link had never seen so much vomit in his life as men carried strings of entrails and innards to the brook they had camped near so they could be disposed of. "Keep up the good work boys! Maybe I'll let you all eat some of that meat you worked so hard preparing if you finish soon!" A cough behind him interrupted his cruel and unusual punishment. Colonel Maluk, his second in command, stood behind him in salute with a letter in his hand, though his eyes were amusedly watching the plight of his comrades.

"This just arrived from Queen Zelda, General. The postman told me it is her express wish for you to read this in private." Feeling suddenly tense and awkward, Link nodded his thanks and took the letter, mumbling for Maluk to keep watch over the men as he headed back towards his tent.

In comparison to the housing that his men were given, Link knew that his own tent must look rather lavish and pompous. Indeed, it was, for it was built with the wants of a King or Queen in mind, not those of a man accustomed to a hard rock for a pillow and cold grass for a bed. Stepping inside, Link threw the flap door down and sat down roughly on a wooden chair, the maps spread out before him used now to soften the blow as he smacked his head repeatedly against the table instead of planning out coordinated attacks against the Gerudo invaders.

'_What is wrong with me? I have a beautiful wife with a child on the way,'_ he wondered to himself as he stared at the letter in his hand. Bringing it up to rip the paper open, he suddenly caught the scent that it exuded. Breathing it in deeper, he shut his eyes and imagined himself back in Zelda's embrace, her warm lips … "What the hell is wrong with me?" He threw the maps onto the floor as he pulled himself up, the chair flying out from behind him as he ran his hands through his longish blond hair. Staring at the letter for just another moment, he sighed in defeat and flipped out his knife, slicing open the rim. Pulling out the soft parchment within, he stared at the contents:

_Dear Link,_

_I do not know how the express what I wish to write, but somehow I know that I need to. Those last weeks we had together were nigh unbearable for me and I wish to apologize to you for my actions the day you came to the castle. _

_Every moment I spent in your company reminded me of everything you had done for __Hyrule and as well talked … as I said before, I do not know exactly what to say, or honestly what to say at all._

_I am afraid Link, no, terrified. My dreams have grown steadily darker and I see a blood red sunrise peaking over the forests to the west. I worry for your safety and the safety of the Knights. Please, __keep them safe and come back __to me__. _

_Though I primarily wish for these attacks to stop, do not risk your life needlessly. __Then again, I doubt you know the meaning of the word retreat, Hero. Again, I convey to you my apologies and wish you luck in your campaign. _

_Concerned for your safety,_

_Zelda Hyrule,_

_Queen of the Kingdom of Hyrule_

"You've got that right at least, Zelda. Retreat isn't part of my vocabulary." Suddenly feeling much better, Link grabbed out his own roll of parchment and an ink quill. Uncapping the jar and dabbing the tip in, the Hero of Twilight began to write.

Continuing westward, the troop began to see signs of the havoc caused by the Gerudo invaders. Multiple smaller villages had been left in ruins. Men, women, and children had been slaughtered ruthlessly with arrow and blade, their valuables looted from their homes and corpses. Though there search was thorough, it seemed the Gerudos was more so, having left no one alive and no home spared. The head of the village leader was hung up by a chord on a post in the center of the village. This struck the biggest chord with Link –even more so than reports of larger towns falling to the Gerudo pillagers– because the scenery cruelly reminded him of Ordon Village and his mind wandered.

_Beth lay on the ground, her fragile body shredded by a scimitar. Colin lay in front of her, protecting her to his last with his father's sword, the older man falling in defense of his wife and new-born child long before the thieves had managed to reach the children._

_The town lay in smoldering ruins, fire having destroyed many of the homes with the bodies of the hiding villagers still trapped inside. Continuing farther down and over the creek, where the fire had not been able to reach, Bo lay defeated, his body run through by multiple spears and his head now a trophy for the Gerudo thieves. Ilia's body lay in the room beyond him, disemboweled and wide-eyed, her never-to-be-born child dead at her feet._

"General?" A voice thankfully tore him from his thoughts, "Could you take your hand off my shoulder? You are crushing it." Pulling his hand away, Link noticed that indeed he had been squeezing until his fingers were white.

"Forgive me, Maluk. My mind took me for a moment there." The dark haired youth bowed his head, though he rubbed at his shoulder as he did so,

"Think nothing of it, my Lord Link. You have seen enough in your life as is. I think a few dark thoughts are very well in order from time to time." The Hero of Twilight nodded, aggravated at himself for letting his mind wander, and called out sharply,

"We ride!"

Torchlight flickered throughout the passage, the shadows playing tricks as footfall sounded down the stairs. Soon, a tall, lithe figure could be seen, carrying its own torch and softly mumbling beneath its breath with an insane cackle, "Soon … soon we shall have our revenge. Tonight I shall begin the preparation."

Two guards sat at the bottom of the steps, playing cards before the door that held one of the most tightly kept secrets in all of Hyrule. They were elite: powerful with their blades, powerful with magic, and forever alert to their surroundings. It would not do them any good.

Hearing the footsteps on the stairs, both stood up, expecting the surprise visit from Sir Atlas that came every few weeks to make sure they were maintaining their vigilance over the secret. One turned to quickly hide the cards and that was his undoing. In that second, the soft hand of a woman raised and a short spree of foreign words left her lips. With a final cry, a green bolt of lightning left her fingertips, the man's piercing screams only lasting a moment before his charred corpse fell to the ground, the stench of death and burnt flesh prevalent in the air. His friend roared out in horrified disbelief, throwing a powerful orb of fire that would incinerate any normal enemy. This woman was far from normal.

Cloak falling backwards, the bare skin underneath showed her preparation for the ritual that was soon to commence. Runes and symbols of blood traced up and down her naked body, beautiful if not for its grayish tint and the insanity you could see in her bright red eyes. Reaching out with her hand, she grasped the ball of flame, squealing in delight as it burned her skin. Impossibly, the fire soon disappeared and her hand soon became unblemished. The man before her was now frozen in fear and she took advantage of this, moving like the lightning she had struck his comrade with. He could only stare down in shock at the cruel, dark blade firmly lodged into his heart before his eyes began to darken and he knew no more.

The woman licked the blade clean before stabbing it in again to acquire more fresh blood. Pulling herself away from the corpses, she walked over to the door behind them, the Triforce sealing the door from anyone who wished to enter. Taking the blood from the blade, she slowly drew multiple seals along the top triangle in the Triforce, known as the Triforce of Power. Din's Power.

"I am almost there my beloved … Antari."


	4. Chapter 3

**_Wow, it's been a while since I've been on here. I've been reading and working too much and this story is actually difficult to write. I think it's because I don't have that strict OoT guideline to follow like most use. I'm going in a totally new direction. Well, hope you enjoy the story. Read and review and all that jazz._**

_Chapter 3  
_

"General, it is just how you predicted." came the cry of a cloaked soldier as he made his way through the mass of waiting troops, "The Gerudo scourge is celebrating their victory inside this latest ruined village, with very little guard or noticeable chain of command to speak of. We could take them now with little trouble."

Link, resting against the trunk of one of the few trees in the arid climate, sighed in resignation as his troops began to rile themselves up as word quickly spread. "Scout," the Hero testily questioned, "did I not tell you to come to me with this information with the _utmost discretion_? I'm sure that with all the noise you just made, the bloody Gerudo themselves just heard your clamor!" The man had the decency to blush, stepping back as his lord stood up and began to pace back and forth before him. "All is well, I guess, as your foolishness doesn't change my plan. Squad captains, come!"

Five men quickly appeared before him, the large red Hyrulian crests on their tunics differentiating them from the rest of the troops. Beckoning them to follow, the blond haired hero led the captains along with his scout away from the general clamor of the battalion and into a large, simplistic tent in which he held his maps and other such documents vulnerable to the elements. Licking his lips to try and ease their ache, he snorted softly to himself, _'Like there are any elements but hot sun and dry sand out here in this hell.'_ Sitting down at the battered stump of oak he had fashioned into a chair, Link looked around at them all before bluntly asking, "Are you all ready to fight?" Each of the men looked affronted, nodding vigorously at their general. One, known as Ardis, saluted stiffly,

"Lord Hero," he stated softly despite his generally rough voice and appearance, "my archers are ready for this. Though I will not speak for the other captains, I believe it safe to assume that we are more than prepared." Another man, whose name Link could never remember despite many a moment reciting it to himself, boldly proclaimed,

"I will speak for everyone here, my Lord. This fight is ours tonight, and these barbarians cannot and will not stand up to the might of the Hyrulian Legions." The other four captains each broke out into devilish grins, nodding to each other in complete agreement. Link stared each of them in the eye for a long moment before standing up and pulling out his knife. With a quick flick of his wrist, he was now holding it by the tip and with a dull thunk it stuck into a crude drawing of Norobu that he had pinned to the side of the tent.

The cheer that came up from Link's tent more than drowned out the sounds of the troops outside.

* * *

The sun was just setting over the edge of the mountains as the forces of Hyrule made their way down the side of the Gerudo Valley. Some villages, having long since forgotten the stories of old about the horrors of the Gerudo tribe, had decided to branch out into sections of the valley itself. Little did they know the fate that awaited them at the hands of the people they had obliviously coexisted with for centuries.

The village before them was actually quite large for an area so isolated from the rest of Hyrule. Its highest building was a burning watchtower that now bared testament to the gruesome horrors of warfare and death. Bodies of men and women lay mutilated all across the bloodied grass, their faces forever locked in a terrified mask. Link felt sick, having never been witness to so much pointless slaughter. He felt his hatred for these cruel barbarians rise and his eyes narrowed into slits as he and his five captains stood in the shadows of the mountain pass staring down at the scene. Finally, he barked out,

"Captains, get your men prepared. I want everything ready before the sun sets so these Gerudo have to fight with the light in their eyes." Each of the men nodded, galloping off to their destinations as Link's grip tightened around the hilt of his sword.

* * *

An eerie wind blew through the chamber as the uppermost portion of the Triforce began to glow. It wasn't the shining blue of Farore or Nayru, but the unholy sanguine of Din's Power. The woman who stood before it slowly began to glow with the same other-worldly light, an evil laugh tearing from her lips as she slowly stepped forward and drew her now glowing hand across the other two portions of the Triforce.

With a shattering hiss, large cracks began to branch out along the other two until, with a roar, she threw both hands forwards and slammed them against the two.

"For Din and my lady Antari!" The door blue inward with an earth shattering roar, the fabled protective strength of the three-pieced Triforce circumvented by the might of the Triforce of Power. The woman could now hear footsteps running down the long stairs behind her, but they were already far too late. Making her way through the stone rubble without so much as a scratch, she stopped breathless before a plain alter that held atop it a simple, crimson colored stone.

"My lady, I have finally found you," she cried out breathlessly, tears rolling from her eyes. She reverently reached her hands forward, ignoring the shouts from behind her, and grasped the stone with her palms. A pain unlike any she had ever felt ran through her and her breast arched forward in pure agony. A long, keeling screech of pain ripped from her throat, her body paralyzed as the stone slowly began to grow brighter and brighter until the symbols and runes traced on her body began to respond and absorb the light from the stone. As it grew duller, the red symbols on her body grew in intensity, until cracks began to form within the stone and it shattered between her hands, throwing her backwards until she hit the wall with a dull clamor.

* * *

Far westward, near the burning town on the outskirts of Gerudo Valley, Link stood ready atop Epona with his Hero's Bow in hand. The Gerudo were almost totally incapacitated down below after their drinking and festivities, and just outside of an arrow shot. It would be a quick and decisive victory if all went according to plan. Link should have known that life never worked out the way he hoped it did.

Lifting his bow into the air, he drew an arrow and pulled the string taught. Closing his eyes and letting the powers he had not used for over a year run back through him, the tip of the arrow began to whirl and glow with a dull, holy light. The men around him began to murmur and whisper to each other, but he drowned them out and concentrated. With a loud, whirling hum, the arrowhead sparked into life and almost seemed to gain a life of its own. The shining nexus of light energy was only in his possession for a moment though, Link releasing his hold on the bowstring. It soared through the air and gave off the signal to attack with a burst of holy energy.

"Charge!" The cry was heard throughout the hills as two hundred men began to charge down the hillside, arrows or spears drawn. Cries of alarm could be heard from the Gerudo below, but the sun had been purposefully placed directly in their line of sight. Link's army had no such hindrance, arrows whistling through the air and piercing whatever they hit. Link once again concentrated, this time trying to form a burning vortex of fire around the arrowhead. _'What in the name of The Three?'_ he wondered as he failed to access Din's burning energy. The shriek of a spear hurling directly past his head and into the body of some unlucky soul behind him shook him from his stupor, his arrow quickly felling the redheaded warrior who threw it with a shriek of pain.

"Epona, stay safe!" Link ordered as he got his bearings and jumped off the side of his horse, his Hero's bow once again strapped down to her side. Grabbing the hilt of his sword and slipping his hand into his shield straps, he landed in a roll before darting forward in a jab. The unsuspecting Gerudo before him could only stare with wide eyes at the sword that had slipped between her ribs and into her heart before darkness took her all at once. Link wasted no time, ducking under the jab of a spear and disemboweling the next with a grunt of effort. Clean and efficient, he moved through the ranks of Gerudo with nary a scratch.

Storm clouds the color of twilight suddenly began to appear over the tree line, a roar of thunder shaking the ground around them. It was ignored, though, as the battle raged on and those that had once been the predators became the prey. This was a costly mistake. The first strike of lightning, the color of blood, was almost surreal as it streaked down and exploded in an unholy fire in the middle of a group of horrified fighters. Their screams were cut off simultaneously as they were vaporized, the scorched, black grass bearing mute testament to their deaths. The battle had come to a sudden halt at that point, everyone staring in horror at the spot. No one spoke, the only sound the reverberations of the storm overhead. Then came the next bolts.

All around them, these unnatural bolts of energy began to strike, those that had just been foe now running around in a maddened craze as they tried to escape their own demise. It was inevitable.

Link's heart beat had never been this all consuming, as if it was about to blow out of his chest. He, the Hero of Twilight, ran for his life along with the rest as the terrible storm bore down on those that remained. It seemed to track them, searching and finding as more and more of the victims were reduced to scorched patches of blackened earth.

More than ever, Link could feel the dark powers of some unholy madness that not even Ganondorf had ever been able to achieve. Jumping forward with a cry, he felt the bottom of his boots grow hot as coals as the area just behind him -and those unlucky enough to be there- were annihilated in a flash of crimson fire. Now, lying on his back, Link felt his life slowly crawl across his vision. Ordon, Ilia, his friends, Midna, Zelda, and all those horrible creatures he had faced throughout his trials. _'Is it really going to end like this?' _he wondered as he stared up at the cloud directly above him that began to glow an unearthly red, _'Did all of my life account for nothing?'_

It was as if time had slowed down, a red bolt of energy ripping down from the heavens towards his person. Gripping the Master Sword in both his hands, he let out a cry of defiance as he slashed at the bolt with all of his might. The two met, though only for just a moment, and as the crimson light streaked back up towards the heavens the unbelievable happened. Spider-web-like cracks began to form up and down his mystical blade. The sword, that had seen so many apocalyptic battles and faced so much evil, shattered on the hills of the Gerudo Valley and Link fell into darkness.


End file.
